VW Golf GTI Edition 50 marks GTI's half-century

Volkswagen celebrates 50 years of the Golf GTI next year, and to make the occasion it's made this.

The VW Golf GTI Edition 50 is the most powerful GTI ever made, with 325PS from its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. Other upgrades include lowered and tuned suspension, and the option of a GTI Performance package that boosts its zippiness even further.

VW debuted the new Golf GTI Edition 50 at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife, where it set a lap record back in April – the fastest lap ever completed by a production Golf (7 minutes 46.12 seconds, in case you were wondering, which is more than a second faster than the Golf R).

The Edition 50 is the latest in a long line of celebratory Golf GTIs, which are typically released every five years.

New 2026 Volkswagen Golf GTI Editon 50: price and release date

No prices have yet been announced for the new special edition Golf GTI. Production is due to start at VW's Wolfsburg factory at the end of the year, with deliveries starting in the first quarter of 2026.

New 2026 Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50: exterior and interior

The look of the new Edition 50 is classic Golf GTI... but more so. The grille has the heritage GTI red stripe across it, as have all GTIs since 1976, and there's a horizontal LED strip as standard, with an illuminated VW logo. Matrix LED headlights are standard, and the car rides on 19-inch "Queenstown" alloy wheels with a red glazed finish and GTI badges in the centre that stay visible even when the car is moving.

Customers that go for the optional GTI Performance package get 19-inch Warmenau forged wheels, which weight 8kg each (3kg lighter than the Queenstowns) and have semi-slick Bridgestone Potenza tures, developed for extra grip. They'll also get a lightweight Akrapovic exhaust.

Other exterior features include a black roof, mirror housings and exhaust tips and GTI 50 logos on the roof spoiler and exterior mirrors. Five colour choices will be available: Pure white, Moonstone grey, Grenadilla black metallic, Tornado red and Dark Moss green metallic.

Inside, there are sports seats with the Golf GTI's traditional tartan pattern, red seat belts and GTI 50 floor mats. Infotainment duties are taken care of through a 12.9-inch touchscreen, with a 10.2-inch digital driver display that includes a GPS lap timer. A head-up display is available as an option.

New 2026 Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50: engine and gearbox

The tuned 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is the centrepiece of the new front-wheel-drive Edition 50, and its 325PS and 420Nm makes it the most powerful Golf GTI ever. For comparison, the Golf GTI Clubsport makes 300PS and the standard GTI makes 265PS.

The extra power boosts its acceleration time from 0-62mph to 5.5 seconds, and the power is set to the wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The Edition 50 also has a revised chassis for improved performance, with suspension lowered 15mm compared to the standard GTI, or 20mm lower with the GTI Performance pack.